The Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji has been appointed as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, ending widespread speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan would give him the job.
Other candidates in the race had included Alhaji Sheik Goni Musa from Borno State, Alhaji Umar Faruk Baba from Bauchi State and Mr. Danladi Kifasi from Taraba State.
A statement by Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Aji would take over from Alhaji Isa Bello Sali who would attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 Saturday. The President had announced during a short valedictory session in honour of Sali, just before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, that a new Head of Service would be appointed Friday.
Aji hails from Yobe State and was born on January 13, 1959. He attended Government College, Maiduguri; Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri; and graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1984.
A career civil servant, he has held several key positions at state and federal levels, including Chief Administrative Officer, Governor’s Office, Maiduguri (1989-1991); Principal Secretary to the Military Administrator of Yobe State (1991-1992); Principal Secretary to the First Civilian Governor of Yobe State (1992-1993) and Principal Secretary to the second Military Administrator of Yobe State (1993-1995).
Aji was appointed the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Ministry of Women Affairs in 1995 and moved to the Ministry of Defence in 2000 as Director of Personnel Management. He headed various departments in the Ministry of Defence until his posting to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2008 as Director, International Organisations.
He was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2009 and posted to the Ministry of Defence. He later served as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs (August 2009-August 2010) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works (September 2011-November 2012).
